MR. THOMPSON'S AUSTRIA.. * ALTHOUGH well acquainted, as he thought, with

Germany, Mr. Thomp- son found when he entered Austria, that he not only knew nothing of that country, but that his supposed knowledge was erroneous. "Circumstances of a peculiar nature connected with the object of his visit, threw him among men who could not only enlighten his ideas, but were themselves in some instances persons of authority and influence." From them, and "some anonymous writers to whom he was referred," Mr. Thompson has collected the materials of his present volume.

The book is in form a series of essays or disquisitions on the-extent and population of Austria, its state policy, statesmen, army, peasantry, nobility, and middle class ; with a variety of similar subjects, calculated to display the effects of the policy of the late regime on the condition and mind of society at large. The work is not equal to the author's Life in Russia, owing to the different manner in which it is composed. That book was the digested result of experience ; and if second-hand information appeared, as it doubtless often did, it had been made Mr. Thompson's own. Austria, on the other hand, is not altogether homogeneous. Some of the topics seem to have been furnished to our author just as they stand in his pages, or with little other change than arises from translation. This not only gives a patchwork character to the book, but introduces, we think, a little of local prejudice, with a foreign tendency to generalization. This, when imperfectly sustained and sinking below the theme, as is sometimes the case in the present work, induces an unsatisfactory flatness ; there is neither the life and particularity of the single instance nor the largeness of a comprehensive induction.

It is somewhat against the book that its subject is dead. The Austria

of Metternich, or rather, as Mr. Thompson's informants say, of that Im- perial system of which Metternich was only the accomplished minister, has passed away. Whatever may be the result of the late abortive revo- lutions and quelled insurrections in Austria, it is unlikely that the reign of the bureaucrats can be restored, or matters brought back to their former state. Hence, in reading several parts, we feel as if we were perusing a newspaper out of date; it has not the attraction of news or the interest of history. At the same time, it often brings before us the Causes of that dissatisfaction which produced the late turmoil and revo- lutions, and of that inefficiency which rendered them so unsuccessful even in a temporary way. The French Revolutionists fail of their end, but they run their course; the Austrians are cut short.

And these causes are the demoralizing and stagnating character of

their government. Everything was planned with a view to render the people helpless. The object of the policy, as originally designed by Leo- pold, was to throw back Joseph's reforms, and to check the conse- quences of the French Revolution, by elevating the aristocratical class into a ruling caste, and reducing the burghers and peasantry to mere nonentities or animals. The result, under Francis and Metternich, was to subject the whole nation, aristocracy as well as people, to a domina- tion of office-holders. In the formation and establishment of this bureau- cracy, no regard was paid even to those simple elements of right and morals which the common .sense of mankind in the lowest civilized state Instinctively regards. One of the testa of the wellbeing of a people (for Ireland is an exception) is the increase of population. The most influen- tial and telling argument that Buxton brought to bear against the West Indian planters, was a decrease in the number of the slaves. In the Austrian empire during a time of profound peace, its subjects seem to have been exposed to influences almost as noxious as those of Tropical slavery, in some eases as bad. The population of the empire, amounting to thirty-nine millions, says Mr. Thompson, "places it second among die nations of Europe, of which it thus commands one-sixth of the inha- bitants. Its yearly increase is, however, far inferior to that of other

.** Austria. By Edward P. Thompson, Esq., Author of " Life in Russia, or the Dis- vine of Despotism." Published by Smith and Elder.

equally favoured countries; being in fact only 1 1-10th per cent, and previously to 1837 it only amounted to If per cent. Two of the provinces in particular, namely, Lower Austria and Styria, have shown a decadency in the space of twenty-five years." It may be said, indeed, by the stanch economist, that this is rather to be received as a proof of Imperial wisdom, interposing obstacles in the way of marriage : but it may be doubted whether the preventive check of the paternal despotism operated in preventing births, or got one shade beyond destroying the morality of its subjects. The following statistics exhibit an amount of immorality which is conclusive as to the boasted care of Austria.

Proportion of Illegitimate to Legitimate Births.

Upper Austria 1 in 6 Moravia 1 8 Lower Austria 1— 7 Carniola 1-16 Bohemia 1-7 Lombardy 1-24 Carynthia 3-3 Venice 1-2 Gallicia 1 14

We are in the habit of disparaging the morals of Italy ; but compare Lombardy in the above table with Austria Proper. In Vienna, the births in seven years were 56,394 legitimate, and 44,773 illegitimate.

"By the last returns the Foundling Hospital in Vienna received in the course of that year 5,755 children, and 15,351 were out at nurse in the country, at the cost of 348,644 florins; there being, besides, in the whole of Austria, thirty-four foundling hospitals, containing 22,409 children, at an expense of 230,051 florim and 50,460 out at nurse, at the cost of 1,226,474 florins. The Lying-in Hospitals, which are open indiscriminately and without restriction, are thus summed up—in that at Vienna' the births average annually 6,024, costing to the state 38,573 florins; and In the other states, (not including Hungary,) where there are thirty- four institutions, the births average 12,458, at the cost of 107,252 florins."

Those who know the terrible mortality in these reception-houses, under the most favourable circumstances, will readily appretiate the sort of pre- ventive check which prevails in Austria.

But the paternal policy was not satisfied with killing the body ; as far as it had the power it would slay the soul. The following is from the chapter on Education.

" There remained at last no relation in life which was not moulded to an arti- ficial form, and which, from being curbed by Government discipline and cramped by routine formalities, was not brought into a state of political pupilage. This was particularly the case with education ; the leading principle of which was made to consist in guarding the mind against the danger of entertaining political errors, instead of encouraging its fall development by frft exercise of the faculties and well-regulated self-dependence. The routine of instruction was officially pre- scribed, without permitting the teachers to exercise the slightest discretion; and a strict surveillance prevented any departure from the Governmeat regulations. Much instruction, even of a religious nature, properly belonging to the course of education, was either mutilated or altogether suppressed, in order that no idea might be awakened which would direct the attention to the system pursued. Intellectual development and the sharpening of the faculties by practice tending to acuteness of perception and keenness of judgment, and the application of ta- lents and acquirements to the higher regions of thought, were altogether forbid- den: indeed, singular as it may appear, It was not even permitted to elucidate the+ actually established political system; the dreaded discovery of whose weakness was carefully guarded against by purging the language of common usage from all dangerous words and expressions. The words popular rights,' popular opinion,' 'public spirit,' and 'nationality,' were entirely suppressed by the Mk' sorship, and even the term patriotism appeared to be only tolerated in its German sense.

A similar incubus pressed on society ; which, as in other parts of Ger- many, was permitted to do nothing for itself. Minute interference was also the rule in the army, though in some things less remarkable in the substance than the spirit of the regulations. Some of the following are proper enough points to be attended to by a sergeant-superintendent : it is the measure we are forced to take of the Imperial mind from the Imperial style that is the disparagement.

"In addressing a superior, from the corporal upwards, he must use the term .3fr. (Herr Corporal, &c.) with the third person plural to cadets and officers. If he is carrying anything in one hand, he must salute with the other ; and if both hands be occupied, he must stand still and face outwards while an officer is passing. Sentinels must be sainted. A man must make his pay answer his purposes, in procuring his daily food, his matters of housekeeping, his washing, and everything requisite to cleanliness: he must neither borrow nor lend. It is due to the sovereign who pays him, and to the state which it is his duty to protect, to take care of his ,..1th; to which cleanliness and regularity are mostly conducive. Daily, and particularly in the morning, he must wash his mouth and eyes' comb his hair, wash his hands, and occasionally his feet, cut his nails, shave his beard, and change his linen at least once in the week. Bathing is permitted in summer under certain regulations; but if heated, he must not enter the water till he be cool; and the spot must be previously examined to ascertain that the bottom be good and free from holes: a good swimmer must not venture into a strange stream. A man may not lie bareheaded in the sun when he is heated, nor suddenly quench his thirst. In severely cold weather he must not pass suddenly into a heated room. Washing and drying. linen in his room are dangerous and therefore for- bidden. He may not eat unripe fruit, unwholesome food, bad meat or fish, and warm bread: he may not cook in copper vessels. Men with contagious eruptions shall be separated from others, who must not associate with them. A man feel- ing unwell must immediately report himself; thankfully remembering that the hospital, with its surgeons, and the things requisite to his comfort, have been pro- vided for him by his sovereign.

"The soldier must pay unremitting attention to his uniform, arms, ammuni- tion, and appointments; he must neither lose, pawn, nor sell anything, but must keep his things in perfect order, and ready for immediate use at all hours. Be must not brush his uniform with too hard a brush, and must clean it with chalk and clay. He must clean his shoes daily, and occasionally rub them over with fresh grease, to prevent the leather from being cracked or spoiled, &c.

"A corporal may not apply the term thou to a private, nor use an offensive epithet, nor strike him without the authority of a superior, who may order the infliction of twenty-five blows; but he must report his havingdone so. He must be provided with a stick, which must reach in length from the ground to the lowest button of his coat, not exceeding the diameter of his gun-barrel in thick- ness, and without either ferule or knobs: he must hold it by the leathern strap, and bring the extremity to the outward point of his right foot on meeting a supe- rior; and when in motion he must carry it by the strap aslant before him, with the point towards the ground ; but at other times it must hang suspended to the sword-hilt, according to the regulations of the service. "The sergeant mast carry a cane equal in length and thickness to that of the corporal, but provided with a ferule. He must address the soldier in the second person plural, and the corporal in the third singular; but the cadet as well as the superior officer in the third plural, in which person he must also be universally addressed himself.°

These extracts will indicate the kind of matter that is to be found in several sections of Austria ; and in others there is a good deal of in- formation relating to the institutions and general state of society. Thus it will be found a useful volume for those who wish to investigate the condition of the empire, with a view to form their own conclusions on the subject.